Associate Category Merchant

Staples Inc. • Framingham, MA

1d

About The Position

As an Associate Category Merchant for Staples, you will manage various product lines across retail stores and Dotcom, helping drive an integrated omnichannel assortment and customer experience. This role offers a diverse product portfolio and an opportunity for an up-and-coming merchant to contribute to Staples’ retail and ecommerce business.

The Associate Category Merchant develops and executes category strategies with leadership support, aligning store and online assortments, pricing, promotions, content, and inventory availability. The role manages category financials and forecasts, negotiates with vendors, monitors sales and customer performance data, and works closely with internal teams and vendors to grow sales and margin while maintaining service levels and controlling inventory investment. The position also leads and coaches a Merchandise Specialist on retail and Dotcom execution.

Staples describes the role as part of its brand transformation and growth strategy. The position may be eligible for bonuses or other variable compensation in addition to base pay. The salary range and specific base pay are not provided in the posting.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least 3 years of total experience in buying-related functions, including Buying-Merchandising, Planning, and Inventory Management.
• General knowledge of industry trends, assortment planning, planograms, customer buying patterns, inventory management, logistics, and marketing techniques.
• Knowledge and understanding of financial analysis and forecasting.
• Negotiation, influencing, verbal communication, and written communication skills.
• Ability to use performance data and customer insights to support merchandising decisions and identify opportunities to improve sales, margin, and customer experience across channels.

Nice To Haves

• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft and Excel skills.
• Ability to drive sales and margin results.
• Ability to build partnerships.
• Experience working in an omnichannel environment.
• Strong attention to detail in managing item setup, product content, imagery, attribution, pricing accuracy, and online promotional execution.
• Ability to evaluate competitive assortments, identify whitespace, and recommend opportunities to improve customer experience and category growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop an understanding of customer needs and shopping behavior across stores and ecommerce, as well as upcoming marketplace trends and brands.
• With leadership support, develop and execute omnichannel category strategies that align store and Dotcom assortments, pricing, promotional activity, content, and inventory availability.
• Identify products for core assortments, trend-right product expansion, extended aisle opportunities, online-only assortments, and omnichannel growth initiatives.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to identify products suited to Dotcom expansion, extended aisle opportunities, marketplace trends, online-only assortments, and omnichannel growth initiatives.
• Negotiate with vendors for lower total delivered cost, volume incentives, rebates, advertising, funding, and other applicable allowances.
• Work with vendors and cross-functional partners to develop and execute omnichannel go-to-market plans aligned with company, business unit, and category strategies, driving sales and margin opportunities.
• Merchandise the assigned category portfolio to maintain service levels with minimum inventory investment and maximum gross margin, leveraging knowledge of inventory turns and logistics to manage supply-chain impact.
• Review and approve financial and item forecasts with Planners; forecast and model financial trends, own category financials, and present regularly to upper management.
• Monitor and analyze omnichannel sales, margin, traffic, conversion, average order value, online availability, customer ratings and reviews, and item-level performance to identify growth opportunities and address performance gaps.
• Collaborate with internal omnichannel teams, including Marketing, POG, Promo, Inventory Management, Store Operations, Portfolio, Site Merchandising, Content, Category Management, and Pricing, to achieve corporate goals.
• Partner with the private label team to manage transitions and develop on-trend products that meet quality expectations.
• Interpret financial statements, Circana market-share data, and other merchandising financial metrics to understand current and future trends.
• Lead and coach the Merchandise Specialist on retail and Dotcom execution, including item setup, content accuracy, promotional execution, vendor follow-up, and performance tracking.

Benefits

• Bonus plan and generous paid time off, including one Floating Holiday each year.
• Flexible work arrangements, including flexible work hours.
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, with additional optional benefits.
• Associate store discount and discounts on mobile plans, movie tickets, and other items.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level